Active Care The future of your practice F or practitioners today it comes as no shock, that not only is health care chang- ing, but chiropractic needs to undergo a dramatic paradigm shift in the way we treat and progress patients through care. In the past, manipulation, alone or supported with other passive therapies, was considered the standard of care. With to- day’s evidence and current literature, we are fi nding out that active care, with patients more involved in their treatment plan, typically will support the best outcomes. WHAT IS ACTIVE CARE? “Active Care” refers to active involvement of the patient in his/her treatment. Active care is based on patient self-empowerment, and allows the patient to assist in care through three key areas: pain management, exercise and education. In the active care model, the patient plays an active role in the rehabilitation process under the guid- ance of a health-care provider. The key to success is patient compliance – every effort is made to promote patient self-empower- ment. That responsibility is shared by the provider, by offering important education, and the patient, by understanding his/her role in the healing process. Clinicians understand that patients will not improve with offi ce visits alone. The patient’s activities at home are often the key to successful outcomes. By educating pa- tients on their condition, proper posture, appropriate home exercise, and safety con- siderations, the practitioner can encourage patients to become involved in their care. This is, in fact, a highly ethical way to practise because it reduces patient depen- dency on passive pain relieving approaches, while teaching patients the self-treatment techniques needed to develop control over their symptoms. By focusing on functional restoration and promotion of proper tissue healing – instead of promotion of reduction in symptoms – we can now achieve quicker and longer lasting results with our adjust- ments, because we are addressing all the underlying cause of most pain syndromes. In the active care model, the patient plays an active role in the rehabilitation process under the guidance of a health-care provider. Although, not a new concept, rehabilitation, or active care, presents a challeng- ing addition to the practice schedule and normal offi ce day for many practitioners. Even though, as chiropractors, we know that compliance to, and an increase in, active care, is important for patients to ensure better outcomes, the big question is “How do I begin?” Continued on Page 32 www.canadianchiropractor.ca CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | APRIL 2008 • 11 Dr. Jay S. Greenstein received his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from the Na- tional College of Chiropractic, and his post-graduate degree in Sports Chiropractic at the Logan College of Chiropractic. Dr. Greenstein served as the Chiropractic Representative for the National Athletic Training Association, Inter-Association Task Force for Cervical Spine Injured Athletes, and has published ex- tensively and presented numerous original research papers at scientific symposiums throughout the world. Photos courtesy The Hygenic Corporation Jay S. Greenstein, DC, CCSP feature
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